A Discussion/Recommendation on Ordinance regarding Pets in ParksI requested this item after numerous constituent contacts over the years asking for a dog park, which is not in the cards due to a lack of an adequate location in city parks. Right now, pets are excluded from all city parks, which seems silly and isn't enforced.

B. Discussion/Recommendation on donation of Pet Waste Station at Arrowhead Park

C. Discussion/Recommendation of update of the Geese Management Plan to include humane removal of geese

D. Review/Discussion of 2012 Operating Budget for Community Center, Recreation, and Outdoor Pool

E. Review/Recommendation of received bids for Firemen’s Park Shelter restroom project. This project is likely going to be delayed until 2012. Couple points: This facility is not just a "restroom", but will also include a concession stand and storage. Storage isn't sexy, but is necessary especially for all the rec program offerings. The storage at the M.Y. Dream Park shelter is cramped and crammed with stuff. My understanding is that part of the reason the bids came in higher than the estimates is that the masonry construction was high, apparently due to several ongoing large masonry projects in the area.

5 comments:

Very mixed feelings about the dog thing. I wish we could have an off leash park, but I understand we don't have space. The thing is, a few dog owners always ruin it for everyone else. If you make on-leash legal, there's always someone who thinks their dog is so well-behaved that it doesn't need a leash. Then there are those who don't pick up the doo doo. I guess it doesn't really matter. Our police force won't enforce the rules whatever they are. They are too busy hassling African American kids or white kids when there are no black kids to be found, and busting teens for (gasp) smoking a little weed.

"Our police...are too busy hassling African American kids or white kids when there are no black kids to be found...".

Seriously? If you have specific instances of the police disparately targeting blacks, please contact the Monona Police and Fire Commission and provide the details. I'm not buying it, not without evidence. So bring it forward.

"The thing is, a few dog owners always ruin it for everyone else. If you make on-leash legal, there's always someone who thinks their dog is so well-behaved that it doesn't need a leash."

This type of argument is often advanced by people who aren't thinking clearly...

There are always people who will break the rules, but we don't stop building roads because some people drive drunk, etc. Indeed, the fact that some people will violate the law is the reason we have the rules in the first place.

We should legalize leashed dogs in our parks for the people who always obey the rules and, thus, won't take their dog into a park.